From April 28 to 30, 2025, an OAPI delegation carried out a working visit to the Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute (INP-HB) in Yamoussoukro and to the Ivorian Intellectual Property Office OIPI- National Liaison Structure (SNL) with OAPI in Côte d'Ivoire.
Providing quality training to meet current technological challenges
The Master's in Patent Engineering is a training program designed to equip OAPI member states with human capital in the field of patents for inventions and the exploitation of technological information contained in patent documents and other sources of technical information, for the purposes of technological and industrial development. As such, the working visit aimed to assess the progress of the program, co-organized by the two institutions, and to outline actions for future editions.
Meetings for better coordination between stakeholders
Among other exchanges, discussions focused on strengthening the Master's program and identifying host organizations to facilitate the professional integration of young graduates. The OAPI delegation's agenda during their stay included several activities, notably:
• A courtesy visit to the top officials of INP-HB;
• A working session with the INP-HB technical team in charge of the program regarding its implementation and development prospects;
• A working session with the Director General of the OIPI on the deployment of students on internships at the OIPI and in partner structures;
• Exchanges with the auditors of the second edition of the master's program on the conditions of study and stay, also on the conduct of future internships.
Through this means, OAPI is positioning itself more as a development agency by ensuring the emergence of qualified expertise in the service of innovation and technological development in Africa.
